Chapter 11

Paxton

"And the internet said that Daddies give baths and they—" Daddy leaned over and kissed my head.

"Someone is coming up the trail, little bug." Daddy looked down at our hands. "Should we be boring or still be cute together? I'll let you decide since we haven't talked about that yet."

Hmm.

I whispered soft as I could. "Boring? Is that okay?"

The internet said it was, but I was glad when Daddy smiled and nodded. "Yes, people are nosy."

They really were.

Oh, I had another story he needed to know.

But we had to be boring first, so I released Daddy's hand and stood straighter. I looked very boring and grown-up as we walked down the trail and got closer and closer to the car where Daddy was going to give me juice because I was tired of water.

First orange juice.

Then lemonade.

Then Gatorade.

"Afternoon." Daddy sounded very boring as we went around the corner and there were people coming the other way.

"Hey." Several people nodded and said hi, but they weren't the nosy old people I'd seen in the diner. So I was a good grown-up and gave them my professional boring-person smile as we passed them.

I looked sooo boring Daddy kept glancing at me and frowning.

But I had to be boring or everyone would talk, so I stayed quiet until we got close to the parking lot and he stopped us. "They can't hear us anymore, cutie."

Giggling, I kissed his cheek. "I was very boring, Daddy, and they can't gossip 'cause this is my job."

Shaking his head, Daddy gave me a teasing frown. "I was worried and you were just a good actor."

"You're a good Daddy." They worried. The internet said so. "But I'm fine. Well, I still want my juice and my food and my massage."

Yes.

And he'd been so patient I had to reward him by not being big and boring. The internet said that made Daddies happy. They really liked being the grown-up, so I could be playful and fun and not worry about being boring.

Daddy remembered our list and nodded. "That's right. That's our plan."

He even took my hand again and led me to the Jeep, so I was right about him wanting to be the grown-up. "Alright, backpacks away and then it's time to get you more to drink."

Yep, it was his turn to be in charge since I'd worked lots and lots.

Ha, I got to say lots and lots and no one would frown at me and say, That's not proper English .

"You are in a very good mood." Daddy had a funny smile as he kissed my head.

"I'm funny, Daddy." And I could tell him I was funny since I didn't have to be boring. "I don't tell people that, but you're not people."

"I'm not people because I'm Daddy." He shrugged and sighed as he opened the back of his Jeep. "There are different rules for Daddies and other people."

"The internet said that." I was a good boy and turned in a circle so Daddy could take my backpack off. "It said that was supposed to be how it worked, so you knew you were special. It even said that a good Daddy wouldn't tell me I was being ridiculous."

Even if other grown-ups wouldn't understand.

But that was why if I wanted to be boring around other people, I could.

"It had a list and your Daddy stuff was on there." He was so smart for knowing all the how to be a good Daddy rules. "I'm glad you know all that stuff."

Having an expert was very important.

Everybody knew that.

"Well, sometimes there will be stuff that we do just because it's what we want." Daddy gave me another kiss as I turned all the way around. "So you just have to let me know if we do something that you want to change or talk about."

"The internet said that too." It was amazing. "The naughty stuff online is right and not like the doctor website that says you always have cancer."

How did I not know that?

"I think it's a secret?" Maybe? "But I figured it out."

Daddy laughed. "You're very smart."

"I am." And not just about bugs and insects and spiders and— "Oh, I'm thirsty, Daddy."

And he'd like picking something out for me.

"Yes, that's next on our plan." Daddy pretended to look frowny as he pulled the cooler closer. "But I bet you still don't know what you want."

"Hmm. That's a Daddy job." I was so funny he sighed and looked just as dramatic as the men in the diner and that made me want to laugh.

He huffed and pouted and shook his head as he looked at all the juice he'd brought me. "Just because the internet said so."

He was so funny.

"It did." So he was smart too…and trying not to laugh.

"Okay." Frowning. Big sighs. Hmm, sparkly eyes again? Was it funny? "Orange juice first and then we'll do lemonade if you're still thirsty. But I think we'll be home before you finish with the orange juice."

Daddies were magic.

Did the internet know that?

I was going to have to look harder.

"How did you know that?" Had I told him? "Did you guess?"

Shrugging, Daddy pulled out my juice and even opened the top. "You were thinking very loudly."

Did thoughts do that?

I kind of hoped not because I hadn't been thinking very nice things about the men at the bakery.

"Just with Daddies, right?" I closed my eyes and thought of sitting on Daddy's lap and getting tinglies again. "Did you hear me?"

"Stop thinking naughty things in the parking lot, cutie." Daddy was frowning when I opened my eyes, but I could see he was thinking naughty things too. "That's distracting."

I was distracting.

"Daddies are amazing." Yes, I wasn't going to promise not to distract him. The men said I had to look cute and stupid to make it work, though. Hmm. Big eyes. No promises. "Thank you for my juice."

It worked.

He rolled his eyes but didn't make me promise. "I can't believe you've already found bad influences."

"Lorne did it." Wow. That worked too.

"Good grief." Daddy sighed. "That's very believable, though."

The men said it would be and they were right.

I didn't think I should tell Daddy that, though, so I sipped my juice. "You got the good kind. It doesn't have the yucky bits. Sometimes I have to drink the yucky kind because that's what grown-ups do but the internet said that littles don't have to do that."

That was the best part about being little.

I got to be a picky eater and no one could tell me I was being ridiculous.

Daddy laughed and kissed my cheek. "You found out lots of wonderful information, but it's time to head home, my cute little distraction."

Nope.

Not admitting that.

"We need lunch, Daddy." Yes, I was supposed to change the subject and look cute. "I can't wait for my massage."

No giggling.

No giggling.

Daddy looked suspicious again. "What kind of massage do you want?"

Oh, Daddy was trying to be distracting too.

"Hmm?" I pretended to think as he took me around and opened my door. "I think I'd like any kind."

Daddy almost gave me his naughty smile as he buckled me up. "Any kind, huh?"

Nodding, I kissed his cheek. "Because I'm your good boy and I'm patient and I worked hard and it's like cuddling for hard work. We were both very good today."

And good boys got rewards.

And good Daddies liked rewarding their boys.

Daddy's eyes got his naughty sparkle. "You were very good."

Ha.

He remembered that too.

Daddy was so smart.

"Lunch first, though. I can hear your tummy growling." He even remembered he had to feed me first.

He could hear good too.

"It's empty." I should've gotten two muffins. "That's why you have to feed me."

"To help make sure you eat enough?" Daddy laughed. "Yes, that's definitely a Daddy job."

The internet had said he'd like feeding me and it was right.

It was right about a lot of things like being little making Daddies happy and letting him help with potty time probably making him happy and even how much he'd like holding my hand and being a good helper.

"Yes." Kissing his cheek so he'd hopefully remember desserts were good rewards too, I remembered my manners. "Thank you for helping me, Daddy."

"Your cuteness is turning Daddy into a sucker." Daddy frowned like that was a bad thing, but I had a feeling the men would tell me to still play dumb.

It was definitely what Lorne would do…whoever he was.

"You think I'm cute?" Yes, that was better. "Thank you, Daddy."

Yep, he rolled his eyes and sighed.

"You're welcome, little bug." Shaking his head, Daddy frowned but his eyes were smiley. "My naughty cutie."

Maybe.

But I didn't have to figure out what to say because he stepped back and shut the door. He was such a good Daddy, he didn't even make me find a way to be cute again. He even forgot to be dramatic when he got to the driver's side.

"Alright." Getting in the Jeep, he was back to being thinking Daddy again and not silly Daddy. "What should we have for lunch? Are we thinking mac and cheese, or chicken and fries, or we could have soup."

"Because it's not a punishment since I'm not Kenzie." I liked soup. "He doesn't like soup."

That was kind of weird but that was okay because the internet and Daddy agreed that every sub and little was different.

Daddy laughed. "You know everything about everybody."

I shrugged. "The stuff the men said makes a lot more sense now."

Well, kind of.

"Most of it." Yes, that wasn't a lie. "They're nosy and they like to tell stories and ask weird questions."

Daddy laughed as he pulled out of the parking lot where the trail started. "I've heard rumors that some of the Daddies got together and are trying to figure out some clubs to keep everyone busy. I'm starting to think that would be a good idea."

Oh.

"It would give them lots to talk about." Daddy was good at talking too. "Why don't you take people on walks? Easy ones and hard ones and short ones and special ones. You could do a walking club to keep them from being naughty."

Then he could watch them to make sure they weren't being naughty.

"Hmm." Daddy looked thinky as he started driving us home. "That's a good idea. Everyone is used to me taking tourists out, but I don't think we've ever had any kind of walking club or hiking club. There are a lot of paths that are easy, and I bet we could work on something to keep them safer for the older residents. Yeah, that's easy. Boyd could do that."

The frowny Daddy who did everyone's taxes?

Did he like to walk too?

"That was a great idea, cutie." Daddy reached out and ran his hand over my head. "But we got distracted. Food. We were talking about food."

Because my tummy kept growling.

"All of it?" Yes. That was perfect. "I'm big hungry, Daddy."

Big, big hungry and I was going to need lots of energy for massage time.